An introduction to factors influencing anaerobic oxidation of methane

Abstract

Methane affects global climate change 28 times more than carbon dioxide, which indicates the significance of the process of aerobic and anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) in reducing methane emissions from different ecosystems. The rate of AOM is usually slower than aerobic methane oxidation; however, AOM has higher carbon efficiency and can utilise methane as a carbon source, thus reducing methane release to the environment. This article provides an introduction to AOM dependent on different electron acceptors such as sulphate; nitrite/nitrate; iron; manganese, etc. The paper also has an overview of the effect of environmental factors on AOM rates as well as various microorganisms involved in AOM with a higher focus on AOM coupled to denitrification. Moreover, the application of isotope analysis is reviewed as a tool to measure the gross AOM rate in experimental studies. Finally, the available analytical models to estimate AOM rates are discussed.